Charlie Gets Grounded
by Marie S Zachary
Summary: When Charlie puts her little brother in danger Amy and Bob feel they have no choice but to punish her. They learn afterwards that Charlie is feeling left out ever since Toby was born


Disclaimer: I don't own GOOD LUCK CHARLIE

* * *

One day Bob came home to find a crazy household. Charlie was in time out. Amy was throwing up. Toby was screaming uncontrollably. Teddy was trying to settle Toby. Gabe was sitting on the sofa playing video games.

"What the heck is going on," Bob asked Gabe.

"Let's see," Gabe said, "Charlie's in time out. Mom is throwing up. Toby is screaming uncontrollably. Teddy is trying to settle Toby down-"

"I can see that," Bob said with an annoyed sigh, "Why is this happening?"

"I don't know why mom's throwing up but Charlie decided to cut Toby's hair and he doesn't **have **any hair. She made a cut before mom was able to grab the scissors."

This was shocking to Bob.

"Mom grabbed the scissors and I think gave Charlie a swat before putting her in time out. She said she's bringing out the big guns."

"I see," Bob said, "What do you mean you think?"

"Well I was in the other room," Gabe said, "But I heard the sound of a hand connecting to something and Charlie cried a little so I think mom gave her a swat."

Bob nodded and went over to Amy. She'd finally stopped throwing up.

"Charlie is in **big **trouble," Amy told Bob.

"I know. Gabe told me what happened," Bob said.

"I was so angry at her I had to put her in time out," Amy said, "I'm going to have to pull out the big guns. She's grounded and she's going to get a spanking."

Bob knew this had to be serious. Amy **never **did anything like that unless it was serious.

"She's not going to the wiggles concert," Amy began, "No TV for 3 days and she has to stay in her room all day tomorrow with no toys and only come out for meals and to use the bathroom."

"That's fair," Bob said, "Look I'll deal with the "s" "p" "a" "n" "k" "i" "n" "g" and you go take a nice hot shower. It might make you feel better."

"Thank you Bob," Amy said.

...

"Okay Charlie," Bob said, "You can come out of time out now"

Charlie smiled ready for a cuddle.

"You and I are going to go into mommy and daddy's room," he said, "We have to have a little talk."

He kept his voice calm.

"Sure daddy," Charlie said.

He took her hand and led her into the bedroom.

"Charlie I love you," he said, "But what you did today was very naughty. You could have hurt your brother very badly and I'm afraid because of that mommy and I both realize you have to be punished."

"No," Charlie said.

"I'm afraid so," Bob replied, "You're going to have to miss the wiggles concert. Also no TV for 3 days and you have to sit in your room all day tomorrow and think about what you did."

He started to lecture her deciding to skip the spanking.

"Scissors are sharp. It's not only Toby that could have gotten hurt. That would have been bad enough. But you could have gotten hurt too. You could have needed stitches or you could have cut your finger off and you could have very badly hurt Toby "You are three years old. Toby is a baby. If he had gotten cut it would have been serious. Cut worse then he was I mean. Baby's don't heal as fast as big boys and girls."

"I'm sorry daddy," Charlie said, "I was just playing around"

"I understand you thought you were playing around (spank) but it was not a game. There are lots of games that you can play with Toby. That wasn't one of those games. You could have been hurt and Toby could have been hurt."

"Okay daddy. I'm sorry."

"I know you are Charlie. You're a good girl but you did a naughty thing."

"I'm glad you still love me though," Charlie said hugging his neck.

"Do you think mommy still loves me," Charlie asked .

"Charlie," Amy said walking into the room, "Of course I love you. What you did was naughty but you're my little girl. I'll always love you."

Charlie felt forgiven. She felt loved. Then Amy took all Charlie's toys out of her room. It was part of her grounding. She had to sit in her room and think about what she did. She was NOT looking forward to tomorrow.

The next day came. Charlie was really board sitting in her room.

"Mommy I'm hungry," she called out.

"Breakfast is in a few minutes honey," Amy said.

Ten minutes later Charlie was called in for breakfast. She ran in as fast as she could. After breakfast she was sent back into her room until lunch.

Lunch was a grilled cheese sandwich and everyone else got a brownie after. Charlie didn't get a brownie.

"I'm sorry honey," Amy said, "You're grounded. You don't get a treat"

Charlie had a fit as she was carried back to her room. She kicked Amy. Amy took a deep breath.

"It is okay to be angry Charlie but it's not okay to kick."

Dinner was more or less the same. She was not allowed cake after dinner. This time however she didn't have a fit. She just went to her room. She was sad because the Wiggle concert was starting and she wished she was at the concert right now.

The next day Charlie was allowed to have her toys back but she couldn't watch TV.

"I hate Toby," she said at breakfast.

"Charlie no," Amy said, "You love Toby."

"Nu-uh," Charlie said, "I hate him. Ever since he was born he's been the big deal. He is the special one and I'm just a 'big girl' ecept I'm **not **a big girl. I'm a little girl and I miss being special."

Bob and Amy looked at each other. It hit them like a ton of bricks. They had both been too busy really to pay much attention to Charlie. Of course she was rebelling.

"Charlie Mia Duncan," Amy said gently, "You are just as special as Toby is. Toby's just a baby though and he needs a lot of attention. That doesn't mean we don't love you or care for you."

"How come why you get mad at me," Charlie asked.

"Well it's because you're a big sister and so we except you to be a big girl. But the truth is that you're too little to be a big girl right now. We should have been spending more time with you and I'm sorry for not realizing that. Charlie you're big **and **you're little at the same time. But grown ups get scared like kids do sometimes. We react like kids do sometimes," Bob explained.

"Wiggles was supposed to be my time with mommy and daddy," Charlie said.

"I know what," Amy said, "Lets bake cookies today."

Charlie put on a bright face.

"Okay," she said happily.

"Teddy would you might taking Charlie to wash her hands," Amy asked.

"Sure mom," Teddy said.

"Bob," Amy asked, "Should we get tickets for the next Wiggles concert?"

"No," Bob said, "The next Wiggles concert is in New York City."

Amy punched him in the arm.

"The next one here," she said.

"It's playing three days from now," Bob said, "If we make Toby's doctor appointment earlier we can see it in the afternoon."

Amy nodded.

"Okay," she said, "Man I can't believe they're coming to New York and then back here."

"They're famous," Bob said, "They can do whatever they want."


End file.
